McDonald Chapel, AL
McDonald Chapel wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, McDonald Chapel lands at the 69th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 501 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, McDonald Chapel's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 73rd percentile nationally.
Where McDonald Chapel's buildings actually sit
Indirect exposure is dominant in McDonald Chapel (62.7% of 501 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 28.7% sit in the Direct zone.
Where McDonald Chapel ranks
McDonald Chapel's 69th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 44th ranking inside Alabama does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 25 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, McDonald Chapel ranks 9,853 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,326 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alabama alone, it ranks 334 of 592 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alabama on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in McDonald Chapel
At the 69th percentile nationally, McDonald Chapel carries the high rating that has pushed some carriers to limit new business in similarly-scored places elsewhere in the country. Worth comparing quotes rather than assuming last year's renewal terms still apply.
Hardening a home in McDonald Chapel
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in McDonald Chapel (62.7% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 501 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for McDonald Chapel. For more on what indirect exposure implies beyond McDonald Chapel, see the exposure-zones guide.